THE POPULARITY of the farmers market at the Marin Civic Center speaks for itself.

The Thursday and Sunday markets are among the largest in the state. For years, they have turned two parking lots into thriving showcases for local and regional producers of produce and a wide variety of other foods.

The county reaffirmed its longstanding support for the markets on Tuesday when supervisors voted to support efforts to turn the "Christmas tree" lot across the street from the Marin Veterans Auditorium into a permanent home for the farmers markets.

Having a farmers market that has evolved in a popular gathering spot as a permanent part of Frank Lloyd Wright's vision of "organic" architecture seems a perfect fit. The famous architect likely would be pleased.

The plan is not as ambitious and costly as previous proposals — part of the Marin Center Renaissance plan — that involved the construction of a permanent indoor market on the county-owned site.

That plan was going nowhere, as county officials weren't thrilled with the cost for needed traffic improvements and the loss of acreage often used for overflow parking for Marin Center events.

That cost was hard to justify at a time when the county was laying off workers, eliminating jobs and services and pushing unions and managers to forgo scheduled pay raises.

The new plan is much more modest in scope and cost.

It involves paving the lot, which means the market has a permanent spot to call home and also allows the county to replace the unsightly dirt lot with a formal parking facility and other improvements that will enhance the appearance of the property that is the northern entrance to the Civic Center.

The county's commitment includes traffic and pedestrian improvements, many of which are probably long overdue. Their need becomes more urgent with the market's move to the site and plans to build a Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit train station nearby.

The Agricultural Institute of Marin, operator of the farmers markets, is pledging up to $1 million to help pay for the paving of the lot and construction of permanent restrooms, a big improvement for the market.

The county's lease agreement with the market also will be amended to provide the county a share of any "increased market revenue."

That was a good move, given that the farmers market consistently draws big crowds to the Marin Civic Center campus with the current arrangement.

This is a commendable public-private partnership that will improve conditions for the market's operators, vendors and customers.